


The Girl With October In Her Eyes

by snowzone5



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, COVID-19, Crying, F/M, Mileven, Non-Explicit Sex, Soulmates, Swearing, modern-ish AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:35:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26345704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowzone5/pseuds/snowzone5
Summary: A disease has wiped almost everyone off the planet. Mike has been alone for over 5 years. So has El. They meet in a park.
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 11
Kudos: 20





	1. A Girl And Her Dog

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so none of you really know that I'm a big fan of Post-Apocalyptic fiction. A friend of mine and I call it EOC (End Of Civilzation). I have a massive book collection with just that theme.
> 
> Except for "One Journey..." I've kept it out of my Mileven stories. For those of you not interested in it, it can get old after awhile.
> 
> Given the current Covid situation, I thought I'd so a Mileven story after a really bad pandemic. I made it a littler more virulent than it already is.
> 
> I don't know how many chapters there will be, but there's all kinds of topics I want to explore...
> 
> XXXXX

“Twelve?” El shouted.

“Where are you?”

“Twelve?” El was having a hard time keeping the tears from her voice. 

_ I can’t lose twelve. Not now, not after everything we’ve been through. What will I do? I’ll have nobody to talk to. Nobody to keep me warm at night. She must have left the bed just before I woke up. _

El shouted until her voice was ragged.

When she couldn’t yell any more she cried.

XXXXX

  
  


_ This is going to be a perfect shot. _

Mike lay prone facing the morning sun. He looked through the viewfinder. He’d been waiting to take the shot since the day started to get lighter.

_ Patience is the key. You wait for your subject to appear, then shoot. He wouldn’t miss today… shit! What’s that?  _

There was a grey blur coming towards him... fast. He tried to crawl backwards fast enough to get out of its way but he wasn’t quite fast enough. The next thing he knew, there was a hot wetness on his face.

It tickled. Mike laughed. He hadn’t seen a dog in over…  _ has to be five years.  _

It was a dog. It looked like a wolf but it was the size of a Welsh Corgi. Mike wasn’t a dog expert, so he had no idea if they got this colour.

The dog was prancing around him, its tail wagging furiously, barking... a lot..  _ It’s not feral, somebody owns this dog. _

He managed to get a brief glimpse of the dog tag, it was registered in Hawkins. On the name part he saw  _ “12”.  _

_ Ok, that’s an odd name for a dog. _

Or is this the dog’s role in a pack that somehow survived? The dog was prepping the next meal for the pack.

It looked like the dog wanted Mike to follow him. Suddenly he got paranoid. The dog wouldn’t let him alone. Between trying to catch the dog, and look out the corner of his eye for the pack… or the person for that matter.

Tough times call for some tough food choices. 

_Shit!_ _I let my guard down for too long. Now I’m going to pay for it._

“You found my dog! And she likes you.”

“I think she found me.” Mike said. The dog was practically doing backflips it was so happy. Mike sat cross-legged on the grass. 

“You named your dog  _ Twelve?” _ Mike looked at the girl.

“Oh…” 

  
  
  
  


XXXXX

  
  


_ Oh for Pete’s sake El. Get a hold of yourself. This is Hawkins. And Twelve is a dog. You don’t think she’s going to find you when she gets hungry? Put your big girl panties on. _

El gave herself a crooked smile.

_ I hate it when my inner voice is right. Ok, let’s go look for her. _

_ S _ he heard Twelve’s barking. 

_ That’s her happy bark. _

And then she heard laughing.  _ Uh oh. Is that another person? Twelves isn’t really a people dog, but if she’s giving this person her happy bark,  _ and _ that person is laughing, it probably means she’s licking their face in between barks. _

The sounds were coming from the Melvald Memorial Park just up ahead.

“You found my dog! And she likes you.” That was true enough.

She practically yelled it from across the field. 

_ Ok, that’s weird, the grass in the field looks like it had just been cut. _

_ She had already guessed that the laugh came from a male voice, it had a gentle tone to it, and he had a long corkscrew mop of a hair do. It had probably never seen a brush. _

“I think she found me,” the guy said. He sat cross-legged on the grass. 

“You named your dog  _ Twelve?” _ He said, paused from scratching behind Twelve’s ears and looked at her.

“Oh,” he said, and then averted his eyes.

_ Oh is right. He’s really good-looking. His eyes, they are even deeper than his voice. Twelve likes him. He’s ninety percent of the way into my pants already. Not that I’d do that of course. All kinds of things are going to have to fall in place before  _ that _ happens. _

“Oh? What?”

And then he said the absolutely last thing she was expecting to hear.

“Um, you are, pretty.” His face turned a beet red. He still didn’t look at her.

“Well… I kinda want to know the name of the guy my dog likes so much… and thinks I’m pretty.”

“Not just pretty. Uh, really,  _ really _ pretty. Your eyes are beautiful.”

This time it was El’s turn to blush.  _ He’s serious. Shy and serious. _

“My name is Mike Wheeler.”

“I’m El Hopper”

“Hopper? Jim Hopper’s daughter?”

“Adopted, but yes.”

Mike nodded not saying anything more.

“Mike, it’s ok to look at me when you are talking to me.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m a wimp.”

“Why would I think…” He looked up at her. Tears were making their way down his perfect face.

“You are happy to be talking to another person, I get it Mike.” As soon as El said it, she understood what he was going through at this moment and her own tears started.

“Thanks for letting me play with your dog. Other than birds and insects, I haven’t seen another living thing in five years.”

“Mike, there is a big elephant that’s been circling us. We need to deal with it. I want to kiss you.”

He leaned forward and gave El her first kiss. His lips were soft, he was so gentle with his kiss. She could taste his tears, she was sure he could taste hers.

_ I think I could live on his tears, I think if that was my only sustenance, I could actually live on them. _

“My first kiss.” They both said at the same time.

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


“Tell me your story,” El said to him.

“It’s not a happy one… I’m guessing yours isn’t either.”

El shook her head, confirming it.

“My sister Nancy got it first. Gave it to the rest of us. When the news started getting bad. Her boyfriend Steve came over. They od’d on the bed while having sex. Kind of made the local news.”

“My dad took my little sister Holly and went off to parts unknown. My mom didn’t care because she was having an affair with some young stud lifeguard, and took off with him. I haven't seen any of them since.”

“You were left alone?”

“Yeah, at fifteen years old. I went to live with my friend Lucas Sinclair’s family, until… until they got it too. Lucas took off with his girlfriend, I think off to find her real dad.”

“Wow.” El said, and then, “So I guess you don’t want to get high with me tonight. I have primo weed.”

  
  
  


XXXXX

_ Ok, now is the time to test him. I don’t like doing it, but my dad said that he knew I was bound to bring home losers and assholes, but if I could make sure they weren’t drug users it would make is life and job much easier. So that was the test he told her to use. _

“...weed.”

_ Uh oh. Oh shit. He’s looking at me like I might be the clean end of a turd. _

“Seriouslly? I just fucking told you my sister od’d, and  _ that’s _ what you’re asking me?”

El was shocked.  _ Oh this is bad. It might not have been the right time to say that. _

“Well, let me answer you. No. I don’t want to get high with you tonight. Not tonight. Not ever. Fuck off. I’m now officially done with you and your yappy dog.”

“Mike…”

“Fuck off.”

“At least let me explain…”

“Fuck off. JUNKIE. I’m going to sit here until you are gone. And just in case I haven’t really made myself clear….”

“FUCK. OFF.”


	2. A Girl and Her Fears

El looked at him. “No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“You are either scared, or stupid.”

The dog growled at him. It got up and went over to sit beside El.

“I’m not scared. I’m  _ not _ stupid, and I’m  _ not  _ going. “

“Ok then.” Mike said. “I’ll leave. Hold on to your dog. If he follows me I’ll punt him back to you.” He got the dog’s gender wrong on purpose. He didn’t care.

“No.”

Mike huffed, “Like you can stop me. Buh, bye.”

El tilted her head forward. Her eyes were menacing. She waited for his reaction.

Mike frowned.

“You’re still here?” El said, her face was not kind, she saw it reflected in the expression of Mike’s eyes. 

_ I think I’ve lost him. I don’t think I ever really had him, so it’s no loss. It just sucks. _

“I can’t move my legs.”

El shrugged, “Not my problem. You can leave anytime.”

“I’m serious… I can’t move them… um… I can’t really feel them now either. I don’t know how it happened, I only leaned forward to kiss you and…”

El’s face was passive.

“Are  _ you _ doing this?” Mike asked. The disbelief was shown on his face.

“Yes. You are going to listen to my story. And when I’m done  _ you _ will  _ not _ be walking out of my life,  _ I  _ will be walking out of yours. Forever. That means you will lose a loyal companion."

“You may have even lost a loving girlfriend, who would have cooked for you, cleaned for you, and pleasured you. Gone. You pissed it down the toilet and flushed. You will never see me again. If that was your wish. I grant it gladly. Asshole.”

_ Shit. I’m so mad I could cripple him right now. I just want to be done with this. I want him to know what he’s going to miss. I want him to know who I am. _

Mike looked worried. “I can’t move my arms now, I can already feel the numbness setting in… I’m… I’m sorry, what I said was a knee jerk reaction… emphasis on the jerk part.”

He half smiled but El wasn’t impressed and didn’t return his smile.

“I said something inappropriate. I know that now. I will explain. I’m going to take the pressure off you, but when I do, you are going to be in extreme pain, not even counting the pins and needles, the elastic acid, is going to be bad.”

“Lactic Acid. Ok…” Mike took a deep breath, “ok, I’m ready.”

But Mike wasn’t ready. Not for that kind of pain. When it hit, he gritted his teeth and cried out.

“Don’t move. You’ll only make it worse.”

Mike groaned and cried for almost forty five minutes. 

Finally he said. “I’m ready to listen.”

“I was stolen from my mother seconds after I was born. I was taken to Hawkins Lab, tattooed with an experiment number, and mentally and physically abused for about twelve years.”

El held out her arm to show Mike the tattoo.

_ He looks so sad. I think he’s actually going to cry. Shit how come I feel sorry for him now. After his attitude? _

“El is short for Eleven, isn’t it?”

El nodded. 

“And you’ve never been… um, socialized with kids your own age… you don’t know social cues and… ah shit. You are right. I’m such an asshole.”

El continued, her voice still cold. “I hated storms, so they left me alone crying in a dark room. Something happened. I never did find out what, but I was able to escape. I stayed in the woods around Hawkins, and survived. I’ve eaten my share of squirrels.”

Mike was crying freely now.

“One night, my dad found me… Jim Hopper. And… and…” This time it was El who started to cry.

“He… he… gave me a home. A place to feel safe. He protected me, he fed me… he taught me what he could. I’m sure it was the Lab that released that stupid virus. It took everybody I loved.”

They were both wiping their eyes in silence.

After a few minutes MIke said, “When I was nine years old, I had a crush on this girl in grade three. I thought if I could talk to her, if she’d say more than two words to me in an actual conversation maybe she’d see I was an ok guy. I made a promise to myself that if I could  _ ever _ get a girl in conversation I would give her no reason to not like me.”

Mike lowered his face to his hands. “And what do I do? The first girl who actually talks to me? I become a complete asshole. You’re right. I pissed away my chance. I deserve to be alone for the rest of my life.”

“Nobody deserves that Mike. You don’t, I don’t.”

“I’m ashamed of myself. I will never forgive myself for the way I acted. I’m sorry El. I really am.”

“You don’t have to forgive yourself Mike, because  _ I  _ forgive you. My social ineptness has very poor timing.”

Mike was quiet for a few minutes.

“Um, El, we both had to be about fifteen when the virus hit. How come your vocabulary is so good? It’s better than mine.”

“I read a lot of dictionaries and textbooks. I know how to diagram a sentence.”

“Uh, what’s that?”

“Breaking down what every word does in a sentence. Learning to do that, helped my talking very gooder. Sometimes I slip.” She smiled.

Mike smiled. “Ok, I know that was on purpose.” His smile disappeared. He hung his head. 

_ He’s bawling like a baby! Shit did I say something wrong again? _

“Mike, sweetie, what did I say wrong? I’m sorry.”

“It’s… not… you...” His voice hitched after every word.

“I... miss... talking... to... someone... like a friend.”

“You think I’m your friend?”

Mike gave his head a quick shake in an apology. He pulled his knees up and hugged them, lowered his forward to his knees to hide his face. He cried very hard. Through his sobs he managed to say, “Please don’t walk out of my life.”

_ He’s as lonely as I am. Hearing him cry, hurts. It’s actually hurting my heart. I know he’s probably the last guy on the planet but… am I… am I in love with him? That can’t be. Not this soon. I mean we kissed… I could taste his tears… I could  _ taste _ his promise to me… I could definitely taste a promise of love for me… that’s just crazy… _

“There’s a shelf cloud coming in. We are going to get a very bad storm.” He said.

El couldn’t help it, her bottom lip trembled.

_ Oh, no! I don’t want to be alone for the storm. Any storm. Not after meeting him. Not tonight. _

“Mike… can I… can I stay with you tonight. I mean, not  _ that _ way, but will you take me home. I don’t want to be alone in the storm.”

Mike got it right away and nodded. “We should leave now. It’s a bit of a walk.”

She stood up, and held out her hand to help him up.

She watched as he winced trying to stand up, she could see his eyes water. He was still in pain, but obviously trying not to acknowledge it in front of her.

Mike didn’t let go of her hand as they walked side by side.

He was silent for a long time.

_ This whole incident still hurts him. Not physically but emotionally.  _

“Mike, I think we need a make up kiss.”

“We didn’t have a fi-, oh yeah, I guess we did. That’s the last one though. I… I don’t want to lose you.”

They turned to face each other, El shook her head, “You won’t lose me.”

“Promise?” A single tear rolled down his cheek.

_ Oh. I think I’m in love with him. I really do. _

“I  _ promise _ .”

He looked into her eyes, El thought he would look away, but a second tear joined the first. He nodded.

“You won’t regret it.  _ I _ promise.”

They kissed, and both held it for a long time.

When they parted El said, “That was a good make up kiss Mike. But let’s not fight to do that again.”

MIke lowered his eyes and nodded.

_Wow, he really feels bad. Only a nice guy would feel that bad. I think I got very lucky. Very_ very _lucky with him._

She tried to hide her own tears when she saw him limping.

_ I did that. I will make that up to you Mike. I promise. I shouldn’t be using my abilities unless I’m defending myself. This wasn’t defensive. I was pissed. I’m so sorry Mike.  _

She cringed when she heard the low rumble of thunder in the distance.

_ I wonder if I can get him to hug me or something when we get to… wherever we are going. _

“M-Mike… can I sleep  _ beside _ you tonight? I really hate storms.”

“If you wanted to fall asleep in my arms, I would promise not to touch your boobies.”

“Did you just say boobies?” El tried not to laugh, he was serious.

“Back in middle school, I think it was on every guys list of things to do before he kicked the bucket. ‘Touch a boobie.’”

This time El couldn’t help but laugh. She turned to him and started to unbutton her plaid shirt.

Mike covered her hand with his, blushing, “No, El... that’s right. I just said ‘no’ to a girl wanting to bare her  _ boobies  _ to me”. He emphasized the word, to lighten up the way he felt.

“It’s because you are already my sweetie. It can wait.”

They continued to walk in silence, their hands finding each other again. El cringed every time she heard thunder.

“This one is going to be bad. I can just feel it.”

  
  


XXXXX

“There we go,” Mike said with a grin on his face. “Thunderproof sleeping bag, I can set it up here in the basement, or you can pick one of the bedrooms upstairs?”

“You don’t have to patronize me Mike. There’s no such thing as a thunder proof sleeping bag.”

Mike’s grin disappeared. He looked down.

_ I was just trying to help. Fear of storms has settled in deep in her mind. I don’t think I’m going to break that with corny humour. As it is I took the long route to my house so I could hold her hand a little longer. If she knew that, she’d probably be mad at me. Time to keep my trap shut. I like it was she calls me  _ sweetie. _I want to hear that again._

XXXXX

_ This isn’t going well. I know he’s just trying to help, why do I suddenly not trust him? I  _ know _ that he took the long way around to get here, so he could hold my hand. I wouldn’t call him on it. I wanted to hold his just as much. _

“I just want to get into the sleeping bag now.” She turned around started to undo her jeans. 

_ I’ll give him a little show, maybe another test.  _ She she unbuttoned her jeans and started to pull them down slowly, they were past her hips when she decided to look over her should to see if Mike was watching.

He wasn’t. He was avoiding looking up at her.

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


Mike saw the top of her natal cleft, and quickly said without looking further, “Uh, you can have some privacy.”

He pointed to the washroom.

_ She doesn’t know anything about privacy. I will not take advantage of that. It would be a total wasteoid move. _

He could hear the the rushed change of clothes as she put on a pair of his spare pajamas

“Ok, I’m ready for the… thunder proof sleeping bag.”

Mike had set hers a few feet away from his. She didn’t look particularly happy to be getting into it.

  
_She thinks she's sleeping_ right _beside me._ _Um, not to night I think._

XXXXX

Except for the sound of rain and thunder, the house was quiet. At one point Mike thought her heard a soft crying. 

_ She’s scared. _

“Are you ok, El?”

“I’m sorry Mike. Did I wake you? I’m cold... scared.”

“Ok, that’s it. Get out of your sleeping bag.”

“Wh-what?”

“I’m going to zip these together for body heat, I’ll spoon you. You’ll be ok.”

El silently got out of hers and shivered while Mike quickly zipped hers and his together.

“Ok, you get in first. I’ll be right behind you.”

  
  


XXXXX

“Mmm,” El said, her voice sounding very contented. “Spooning is nice.”

  
  


XXXXX

Mike could feel the sadness settling in for a deep stay as he read the note.

_ “Mike, I can’t stay with you” _

_ “Don’t try to find me, I’m gone.” _

_ 11 _

  
  



	3. A Girl and Her Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter to finish it off. Just ran out of story.
> 
> I will want to revisit these two though.3

Mike just didn’t feel like getting out of the sleeping bag, now double sized and empty of Eleven.

He looked at the note again.

_ Really Mike, what were you thinking. You were a complete stranger… I mean obviously she had nothing to fear from me. Not with that ability. Maybe she thinks I’m an asshole and I’m not worth the trouble to try to un-asshole-ify. _

_ Maybe that comes off me in waves and that’s why I never had a girlfriend. The world had to end before I got to kiss a girl. How sad is that? _

_ Really sad. That’s how much. _

_ Shit. I’m not getting out of bed. No point. Raining out there anyway. Cold rain too. October in Hawkins is cold. _

_ I mean… she  _ sounded _ serious about staying with me… it’s not like I was a one night stand… she didn’t seem like the kind of girl that would do that. I’m definitely not that kind of guy. _

Mike dozed off and on all day. 

The barking woke him up.

_ Is that her dog? _

There was a knock on the door. When he answered he was still holding on to the note.

“Oh good! You found my note!”

“Wasn’t a very good read, El.”

El frowned, “What do you mean?”

“Uh, the part that says ‘ _ I can’t stay with you’ ? “ _

“ _ Without my things.  _ Yes I remember writing that.”

“That part seems to be missing.”

“Oops must have missed that. But the second part? That should have let you know?”

‘ _ Don’t try to find me, I’m gone’ _

_ “For a few hours. Sweetie, I'll be back to you.  _ Yes. oh, that’s not there either, is it?”

Mike shook his head.

“I didn’t want to wake you by staying any longer, I was in a bit of a rush, I wanted to get back to you.”

Mike hung his head.

_ Shit. Am I going to cry again. Never cried so much in my life until I met her. _

“Sweetie. I made you a promise. I’m a girl who keeps her promises. If you let me in out of the rain and let me take a shower to warm up. I promise to shag your brains out.”

“Shag?”

“British slang. Means fuck. I was being polite.”

“Uh.”


End file.
